Record number of Roanoke students are Fulbright finalists

A record annual number of Roanoke College students are finalists for one of the nation's prestigious international exchange programs.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program, the government's flagship education exchange program, chose six Roanoke students as finalists for study, research and English teaching assistantships around the globe.

The finalists are:

Edyth Cisneros '17—Mexico, English Teaching Assistantship

Brieanah Gouveia '17—United Kingdom, Study/Research

Erin Keating '17—United Kingdom, Study/Research

Savannah Scott '17—Austria, Study/Research

Stephanie Shields '17—Germany, Study/Research

Kristen Wicander '17—Spain, English Teaching Assistantship

Jenny Rosti, who is director of major scholarships and fellowships at Roanoke, was ecstatic when she saw the list of finalists.

"To have six of our applicants named semi-finalists is a record for us and speaks highly of these students and the College," she said. "Everyone who has worked with these students knows how good they are. That the Fulbright Commission saw that, too, is immensely gratifying."

The Fulbright U.S Student Program awards approximately 1,900 grants a year. Since 2012, the number of Roanoke students who have received some of the nation's top scholarships and fellowships has tripled, compared with previous years.

The next step for the Fulbright finalists is an interview by phone or Skype with the embassy for the country to which they applied. By May, Fulbright will select final award winners.